Brexit means Brexit

In a major speech, Britain’s prime minister, Theresa May, said that when the UK leaves the EU it will also quit the bloc’s single market, customs union and court system, and made clear that Britain was not going to seek any form of EU membership via the back door. She also committed to putting the final Brexit deal to a vote in both houses of parliament, handing politicians in Westminster the power to block the plans.

Congress members to skip inauguration

With Donald Trump’s inauguration just days away, more than 30 members of Congress plan to boycott the ceremony on Friday. Their pledges to skip Trump’s swearing in come amid escalating outrage over alleged connections between the president-elect’s team and Russia and disparaging remarks about the civil rights veteran and congressman John Lewis, who said last week he does not regard Trump as a legitimate president. Amid the chaos, Trump met with Martin Luther King III, the son of the revered civil rights leader, on Monday, the public holiday that commemorates his life. King and William Wachtel, a New York lawyer, said they spoke to Trump about voter participation and how to carry forward King’s father’s legacy by making it “easier for everyone to vote”. Asked about Lewis, King said: “Things get said on both sides in the heat of emotion. And at some point in this nation we’ve got to move forward.” He added that he would “continue to evaluate” Trump’s commitment to representing all Americans.

What defunding Planned Parenthood would look like

Congress seeks to defund Planned Parenthood through a budget measure that blocks the reproductive health services provider from accepting Medicaid, which allows it to offer contraception, cancer screenings and STI tests to 1.5 million patients at some 650 health centers for no cost. Public health officials who work in states where Planned Parenthood’s presence is already in decline – such as Texas or Wisconsin – are sounding the alarm. They say the loss of Planned Parenthood would imperil the health of thousands of women who already face high barriers for care. “I don’t know where else I would go,” one woman who used Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings and contraception said. “I would have to spend time finding somewhere else to go, and worry about: can I afford it? And worry about: am I getting the same quality of care I get with Planned Parenthood? It’s only making it more difficult for people already having struggles.”

First day of World Economic Forum

The annual World Economic Forum commenced today, with political leaders, top business people, economists, academics and the media meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Trump’s influence can be felt, even if he’s not there, making the event feel like “Hamlet without the prince”, Larry Elliott writes. Just as significantly, Xi Jinping is the first Chinese premier to attend Davos. He spoke to a packed room and defended globalization.

Istanbul gunman arrested

The man accused of killing 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year’s Eve was arrested on Monday night at a friend’s home after a two-week manhunt. Istanbul’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said Abdulgadir Masharipov was born in Uzbekistan, received training in Afghanistan and entered Turkey illegally last year. Sahin said it was clear the gunman carried out the attack on behalf of Islamic State. Masharipov has admitted his guilt and his fingerprints matched those at the scene, Sahin added, describing the attacker as a well-educated terrorist, born in 1983, who speaks four languages.

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Parts of US heating faster than globe as a whole

A new study published by scientists from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst looking specifically at the north-eastern US found that this area will warm much more rapidly than the globe as a whole and faster than any other US region. The authors expect the north-east will warm 50% faster than the planet as a whole and find that the US will reach warming of 2C (3.6F) 10 to 20 years before the globe as a whole.

Obama welcomes Cubs to the White House

In his last official White House function, Barack Obama on Monday hosted the Chicago Cubs, who won the World Series last year for the first time in 108 years. Speaking in the East Room, Obama noted that it was important to spend time on sports “when there’s other stuff going on”, saying that could bring a divided country together. “Sports has changed attitudes and culture in ways that seem subtle but ultimately made us think differently about ourselves and who we were. It is a game and a celebration but there is a direct line between Jackie Robinson and me standing here,” he said. It was apt that Obama’s final event celebrated a team from his adopted home town – even though the president is actually a White Sox fan. Michelle Obama, who was in attendance, supports the Cubs.

And finally ... Trump tweets wrong Ivanka

The president-elect quoted a praiseworthy tweet which mentioned Ivanka Majic, a council worker from Brighton, England, instead of his daughter. “And you’re a man with great responsibilities. May I suggest more care on Twitter and more time learning about #climatechange,” Majic wrote back on Tuesday morning.